Xgeorge a alvan knowlton



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'GEORGE ALVAN KNOWLTON, t, OF NATICK, MASSACHUSETTS. i

- Letters Patent No. 71,887, dated December 10, 1867. l

IMPROVEMENT ni OIL-cnrs.

TO ALL WIIOM ITv MAY COIl'CllRN:v Y

i Beit known that I, Gnome ALvsN KNowLToN, of Natick, in the county of Middlesex, and State of Mas' sachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Oi1-Cans; and I do hereby declare'the following to he a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawing, which is made a part of this specicatiion.

In this oil-can the spout is closed by a stopper, to prevent evaporation, as is also the tube .or ventage i' which supplies air to the can to avoid a vacuum and insure the free flow of the oil when the spout-stopper is.- retracted to permit the oil to be pouredsout for use. The routage-stopper is depressed or retracted in the act of retracting the spout-stopper, which is eff'ected 'by pressure upon a rod working through the ventage-tube, the Stoppers vbeing forced into their closing positions by the action of spira", springs arranged as hereinafter described. 1

The drawing is a vertical section of an oil-can, illustrating my invention.

Amay represent an oil-can closed at top by a closely-fitting cap orstopper, Bywhich may be provided with a suitable packing material B, to make an air-tight joint. C is the spout, audC its nozzle, through which the oil is poured frornthe can. The shoulder c, around the internal orifice of thc nozzle C', forms a bearing for the elastic'stopper D, whose supporting-rod E is jointed to an arm, F, which is hinged atf to the inside of the can-A. A spiralspring, Gf, drawing upward the free'end of the'arm F, serves to forcethe stopper D- against the shoulder c, and thus close the spout and prerenttlle oil from evaporating or leaking through the same. H is a rod united to the arm F, and carrying an elastic stopper, I, for closing the ventage-tube-K, through which the rond H projects, as shown. The outer end of the rod H is in convenientV proximity to the handle A,and is provided with a. disk or thumb-piece, h. By depressing the rod H the stoppers D Iu are simultancously depressed or retracted from their respective orifices, thus permitting oil to be poured out through the spout and admitting air to the interior of the can through the tube K'. 'lhe air thus admitted prevents the occurrence of a vacuum, and insures the free'outward flow ofthe oil. 7a is a disk, fixed rigidly upon the rod H, and forming an abutment for a spring, J, which exerts an independent pressure upon the stopper I, the better to retain it in its closing position. 'lbe spring J, While-keeping the stopper I closed, allows a suiicient play of the arm F to insure the complete closure of the stopper D by the springG. It will be seen that the position of the trigger H L enables it to be actuated with the greatest ease in' the act ot' tilting the can to pour out the Aoil. Thus the thumb` of the hand which grasps the handle A is placed upon the disk ligand the pressure exerted upon hA in order to tilt the can, serves also to actuato the stoppers. This is a feature of great-practical utility. i

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The Stoppers D and I, retracted from their respective orifices `by a single trigger, It', and provided with two springs G, J, to insure the eifective closure of both vsaid orices, substantially as described.

2. In a valved oil-can, constructed as above'speciticd, I further claim the arrangement of the trigger H k Y obliquely on the upper side of the handle A', as and for thepurposc set forth.

To the above speci'cation of I'ly improvement in oil-cans, I havey signed my l1and,`this 14th of September, A. D. 1867.v

e. A. KNoWLToN. Witnesses:

Oeuvres KNIGHT, J. E. M. BOWEN. 

